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Thu, Dec 11, 2025 | Jumada al-Thani 21, 1447 | Fajr 05:32 | DXB 
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Cross-sector investment in childhood education championed as catalytic force for change
Leading nonprofit Room to Read marks 25th anniversary with call for increased investment in literacy, and in girls’ education in particular, to address global learning crisis
Leading global literacy nonprofit Room to Read celebrated its 25th anniversary in Dubai with a gathering of leaders from across philanthropy, business, and government; and a powerful call for greater collaboration across sectors to tackle the global learning crisis.
The event brought together Room to Read supporters and partners from across the region and beyond; and spotlighted the urgent need to scale up investment in foundational literacy and prioritize girls’ education to accelerate progress on global development. Badr Jafar, Special Envoy of the UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs for Business and Philanthropy, delivered the keynote address at the event and reflected on the catalytic role education plays in shaping futures.
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“Room to Read is not only expanding literacy; it is expanding dignity, opportunity, and hope. Marking 25 years in Dubai is fitting: the UAE has built a culture of partnership where government, business, and philanthropy work side by side to scale what works. Our charge from here is simple: go faster, together, so that every child has room to read, room to learn, and room to dream.”
Globally the education gap continues to widen. According to the World Bank, over 250 million children remain out of school, and in many emerging economies, only 3 in 10 ten-year-olds can read, a statistic that rises to 1 in 10 in sub-Saharan Africa. Girls remain disproportionately affected: nearly two-thirds of the 800 million people who are illiterate globally are women. The world faces a projected shortfall of 44 million teachers by 2030 to meet basic education goals, and yet only 3% of humanitarian aid spent on education.
Room to Read CEO Dr Geetha Murali highlighted the value of long-term, multi-sector engagement to address this global learning crisis: “Our Dubai Gala brought together an extraordinary community of supporters, partners, and friends — each person in the room carrying a piece of our mission with them. The energy was electric, the generosity profound, and together we raised enough to benefit 39,975 children with the literacy and life skills they need to shape their futures.”
Since its founding in 2000, Room to Read has reached more than 50 million children in 28 countries, deploying more than US$1 billion into improving foundational learning. Its impact includes the publication of over 4,600 original children’s books in 57 languages, and the distribution of more than 42 million books worldwide. In Room to Read-supported schools, children are reading up to twice as fast and with twice the comprehension of their peers.
Room to Read’s model, which centres local authorship, culturally relevant content, and partnerships with national ministries of education, was praised for its emphasis on community belonging and scalable transformation. The impacts of its girls’ literacy programs were particularly celebrated for their exponential impact.
The event also included personal stories from key partners highlighting the collective power of cross-sector engagement to accelerate educational outcomes and build resilience in vulnerable communities. With bold goals to expand its reach in the years ahead, Room to Read is calling on global leaders, companies, and individuals to help launch the next 25 years of impact.
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